By Espérance Habindavyi and Janvier Nkunzebose Mombasa, th August,2013

The Regional Agricultural Information and Learning System (RAILS) activities started in Burundi in The National learning team was set up during the RAILS workshop, held in Bujumbura from 16 th to 17 th december The main objectives were : To launch the RAILS project in the country To set up the National Leaning Team To set up the Core Team members at the national level To identify the activities to be carry out by the NLT The NLT has 20 members coming from the following institutions: Centre Multi média, IGEBU, ISABU, INADES, IRAZ, ISTEEBU, CAPAD, FACAGRO, CNTA, DGMAVA, DGPAE, ISA, Université de NGOZI, INECN, Commerce et Industrie, CCIB, DGA, ADISCO, DGE, AEPV Learning teams:

An awareness have been created for the NARIs; The national learning team was trained to the use of the eRAILS platform; Agricultural information available in some institutions have collected for the e-RAILS platform Actually, most of the members know how to create and manage website on the eRAILS portal (to update the site) E-RAILS

The following equipment was received under the RAILS project: 4 Desktops; 2 Desktops Server; 10 Mini laptops; 2 Camera 4 UPS 1500 VA (out of use); 2 UPS 3000 VA (out of use). The laptops were distributed to members who have actively participate to RAILS activities and have more need than others. ICT Equipment

ERAILS Burundi has a total of thirty (30) people engaged with us; twenty (20)of them are men and ten (10) are women. Number of people engaged with in our country for eRAILS (men, women)

· Burundi eRAILS works within 17 institutions made up by sector: Agricultural sector lead ministries(8): Ministère de lAgriculture et de lElevage (MINAGRIE); Centre Multi Médias du MINAGRIE Direction Générale de la Mobilisation pour lAuto-Développement et la Vulgarisation Agricole (DGMAVA) Laboratoire National Vétérinaire ; Autorité de Régulation de la Filière Café du Burundi (ARFIC) ; Institut de Statistiques et dEtudes Economiques du Burundi (ISTEEBU) ; Direction Générale de la Planification Agricole et de lElevage ; Direction Générale de lEnvironnement ; List of institutions engaged in eRAILS Burundi

Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU) ; Centre National de Technologie Alimentaire (CNTA) ; Centre de Recherche en Agriculture et Développement Rural (CERADER)/Université de Ngozi ; Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU) ; Research sector

Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques de lUniversité du Burundi Institut Supérieur dAgriculture; Université de Ngozi. Education sector

L'Association d'Encadrement, de Production et de Vulgarisation en milieu rural (AEPV ) ; LAssociation Appui au Développement Intégral et la Solidarité sur les Collines(ADISCO) La confédération des associations des producteurs agricoles pour le développement(CAPAD) Farmer Organizations

The best 5 websites in Burundi are alphabetically: ARFIC FACAGRO ISABU MINAGRIE CNTA/ISA/CERADER The best 5 websites in Burundi on the eRAILS portal,

RAILS was supposed to improve Internet connectivity in our institutions to facilitate sharing agricultural informations. The internet connectivity is still not improved as originally planned. Challenges of RAILS

In the country : Launch workshop of the Regional Agricultural Information and Learning System (RAILS)in Burundi, Bujumbura, December 2010; ICT equipment provision; Organization of two training workshops on the use of the portal eRAILS, from 7 to 11 may 2012 and from 25 February to 1 st March Achievements of RAILS

In our institution: Strengthening in computer equipment; Exchanging easily information with other RAILS institutions As an individual Reception of information in real time, including events that are held in Africa or elsewhere; Strengthening our capacity to use the Erails platform and some applications of the web.2.0; Participation in a training workshop of researchers and the African media to promote and improve agricultural production, organized for francophone countries, in Abidjan (Ivory Cost), March 2012; Achievements of RAILS

Participation in an online training on Web 2.0 tools entitled "Innovative Collaboration for Development, 29 th April -28 June 2013 : The course Innovative Collaboration for Development was an initiative of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) The course was composed of 6 modules that present Web 2.0 concepts and tools. Through a series of hands-on tasks, participants explore blogging, micro-blogging, image- and video-sharing applications, social networks, project management tools and social bookmarking. Achievements of RAILS(cont.)

The knowledge sharing and management can be improved at institutional and national levels by: Improving Internet connectivity for most institutions; Strengthening capacities in ICT/ICM and Knowledge Management. How can knowledge sharing and management be improved